Can you believe time-outs are something we have been doing since the 1950s? But, now they're so commonplace that even kids know what a time-out is. For those of you who don't know how to do it or when to use a time-out, this post will help! Keep reading for tips on how to effectively give your child a timeout.
Follow these 8 tips to turn the table on ineffective timeouts:
A time out is not a punishment; it’s a training tool that serves to restore.
Set the timer for children under 3 when in time out. This calm down tool is effective until they are old enough to problem solve in a time-out space.
During timeouts, a child should sit in a chair or on the floor, away from an audience, but not out of eyesight. (They easily get distracted from correction)
When a timeout is over, a child should be able to go back to what they were doing, apologize if needed, and make right what was previously done wrong.
Be sure not to lose your cool when kids are taking their timeout- this will only make them feel worse about themselves and could lead them to feel more upset later on.
If you are a parent of a child under the age of 5, it is important to teach them how to take a time out when they are having trouble calming down.
Rather than expecting little during time outs, have your 5-12yr old. child answer a few questions before going back to play, namely, “What did you do wrong?” “Why was it wrong?” and “What can you do differently today?”
Kids can always have another time-out if needed! If a bad attitude is still present, the problem hasn’t been resolved yet.
Timeouts are a powerful training tool for children. With the right application, this calm down technique can be effective until they’re old enough to problem solve on their own in the heat of the moment.
Ultimately, when time out is over, your child can continue what they were doing before without fear of interruption or punishment knowing they found a solution in the timeout that really works for them.
If you find that time-outs aren't working well at home, I’d love to help you. Schedule a free 15-minute chat with me today!
